This invention relates generally to a container for storing articles for sale, which container includes an attached windowed enclosure for containing samples of the articles stored in the container such that the samples can be readily viewed by prospective purchasers of the stored articles. More specifically, this invention relates to a container for storing individually packaged sticks of rock crystal candy, which container includes an attached windowed enclosure for containing unpackaged samples of the candy sticks stored in the container.
Rock crystal candy formed on a stick is a highly popular hard candy in the present day market, especially among children. Such candy is characterized by a highly sparkling, glossy, crushed crystalline appearance, like glass particles and can be made in a multitude of different colors, as for example, as many as ten or more colors. The aesthetically pleasing and appetizing appearance of such candy sticks is all the more enhanced where candy sticks of all of the various available colors are displayed in a closely arrayed grouping.
A difficulty that has been encountered in the prior art results from the need to individually wrap or package each candy stick intended for sale, for obvious reasons of cleanliness and sanitation, due to the fact that, even when packaged in a clear plastic wrapper, the highly sparkling, glossy, crystalline, glass-like nature of the candy is lost from view and does not show through the transparent wrapper. Indeed, such a clear plastic wrapper has the effect of dulling the true sparkling character of the numerous crystalline granules on the stick , which is otherwise so readily apparent when the stick is removed from its wrapper for consumption.
Accordingly, from a marketing standpoint, it would be desirable if a merchant engaged in selling such rock crystal candy had a convenient means for storing individually packaged sticks of such candy for sale, which container also included means for displaying unpackaged samples of the candy in a secured condition which could be viewed by prospective purchasers in their full range of available colors in their undiminished, sparkling and glossy state. At the same time, the viewable unpackaged candy samples would be separately housed from the packaged candy for sale so that the unpackaged samples could not be easily taken by customers from their housing.
By means of the present invention, these and other difficulties encountered in the prior art are substantially eliminated.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an article storage assembly having an attached article display case for display of samples of articles stored in the storage assembly.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a container for storing a plurality of packaged articles having an attached windowed enclosure for housing unpackaged samples of the articles stored in the container for external viewing of the unpackaged samples.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a container for storing a plurality of individually packaged sticks of rock crystal candy for selection and sale to the public and a windowed enclosure attached to the container for containing unpackaged samples of candy sticks stored in the container for viewing by the public preparatory to selection and purchase of candy from the container.
Briefly, in accordance with the present invention there is provided an article storage assembly having an article display case including a container for storing a plurality of articles therein and a windowed article display enclosure attached to an outer surface of the container for separately containing at least one sample of the articles to be stored in the container. The enclosure permits external viewing of the samples in the enclosure of the articles stored in the container.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and attached drawings upon which, by way of example, only a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated.